Chapter 17

Teresa should be concentratingon the figures in front of her. She should be following the trail, like she’d been doing when she’d been working at Arturo Associates—only she couldn’t.

All her attention was on the meeting occurring a few doors down.

“It shouldn’t be too much longer. I know Kyle wanted to introduce the new guys to Angelo and the others.” Eveline’s words should comfort her, however, all they did was increase Teresa’s anxiety, and she didn’t understand why she was feeling this way. It wasn’t like she was in danger at Alliez, but she’d feel better if Angelo was close by.

“Have you met them?” she asked, hoping the conversation might help pass the time until Angelo was back at her side.

“The new guys?”

“Yeah.”

“I met them this morning.” Eveline’s shoulders lifted slightly. “They all seem like nice guys. Intense, as only special forces personnel can be.”

Special forces?

“Are they still enlisted?” Teresa asked, intrigued why Alliez would have current military guys working for them.

Eveline chuckled. “No. They’re all recently retired or decided not to re-up. We do work with the FBI, but not with other arms of the military.”

Teresa sat back, digesting the information about working with the FBI. Her inquisitive nature flared to life. “What are they doing with the Feds? How did Alliez get this contract? Is it dangerous work? How often do they get these assignments?”

Ox’s fiancée held up her hands, as if dodging the questions Teresa had just thrown at her. “Whoa, let me get to them one at a time. I’m also trusting that this is off the record. That you won’t start writing a story about Alliez, and what they’re doing. I’m trusting you, as Angelo’s partner, that you’ll respect that.”

She couldn’t deny it. She liked the pretty brunette referring to her as Angelo’s partner. She also appreciated Eveline’s discretion. If Alliez was working with the FBI, it had to be important and, of course, not for public consumption.

While Teresa might be a journalist, she wasn’t a hack who only wanted clickable headlines. She took her job seriously and understood the sensitive nature of the information Eveline was about to share. “Totally off the record. And I’d never write a story I wasn’t asked to write. I respect Angelo too much to do anything that would put him or Alliez in danger.”

Eveline studied her for a few seconds, and Teresa kept her expression open so the woman knew she wasn’t just paying lip service to her words. She meant what she’d said and would take this information to the grave with her.

A few heartbeats later, the woman nodded, as if Eveline was able to read her mind. “They’re working with a special FBI taskforce. I don’t know all the information on the ins and outs of the assignments, but most of them require a team going away for a few days. Or longer, depends if things have changed when they get to their destination. As you know, anything to do with not so good people can be dangerous. I think the FBI approached Kyle to see if Alliez was interested in helping them out. Or it might’ve been the other way around. It was all sorted before Kyle and I got together. And as for how often they get the assignments, it’s as often as they’re needed.”

“I’m guessing the new guys have been brought in because they’re getting a lot of assignments?”

“Yes, and no. I think Kyle wants to give everyone the flexibility to go on these missions or not. I believe this deal with the FBI is relatively new. Growler doesn’t want to leave Astrid for too long, and I know Kyle doesn’t want to leave me. It means it’s only Angelo and Irish available to help the FBI, and a two-man team, while good for some small jobs, isn’t good for one where they need more eyes and ears.”

Teresa could understand that. There’d been times when she’d wished she had someone to work with. Although undercover assignments tended to work better with one person, not a whole team.

Behind her, a rustle of fabric had her twisting in her chair, and her heart skipped.

Angelo stood in the doorway.

God, he looked good in the dark suit. The material stretched across his shoulders, ones that were as hard as they looked. The light blue shirt complimented his brown eyes. He was a delicious chocolate wrapped up in a black suit, and he was all hers.

After having now tasted him. Having his body connected to hers in the most intimate of ways, there was no way she was going to let anyone else have him.

Was that possessive of her, and over the top? Since they’d only just reconnected?

Possibly.

Probably.

Teresa didn’t care. That was how she felt about Angelo, and she wasn’t going to change.

“Angelo.” His name rushed out of her, and Teresa had to grip the chair arms to stop herself from launching herself into his arms.

“Hey, Tre.” He sauntered over, wearing an arrogant smirk, and she couldn’t deny she loved seeing it. He dropped a soft kiss on her lips, not seeming to care that Eveline was in the room.

How Teresa wanted to reach up, curl her arms around his neck and deepen the kiss, except she didn’t, and when Angelo pulled away, she didn’t chase after him.

“How did the meeting go?” she asked.

He took the seat next to her. “It went. What’s been happening here?”

“We’ve just been going over some of the spreadsheets I took copies of. We’ve confirmed a couple more companies that are linked to Ramirez. Arturo has been doing this for a long time.” Teresa twisted her laptop so Angelo could see what they’d uncovered.

“Geez, I wonder if there is a familial connection between Ramirez and Arturo, considering how long this has been going on for.” He tapped his finger against his chin, drawing her gaze to his plump lips, reminding her how good they’d felt pressed against hers.

Dammit, she needed to focus on the task at hand, not on how tempting he was.

“It’s possible,” Eveline said as her keyboard clacked under her fingers. “I’m going to see if I can get Cass to do any digging.”

“Or Arturo got himself into some sort of trouble, and Manuel Ramirez helped him out. Once he was caught in their web, it was difficult to break away from him,” Angelo said. “Not to mention, I’m sure the kickback would’ve been very generous, and from everything you’ve uncovered about Arturo, he lives a pretty nice lifestyle. A home in the Bahamas, with a nice yacht moored at the local marina there. He’s not hurting for anything.”

Teresa nodded. “You’re right. Once anyone gets their hands on the type of cash the Cartel probably paid him, they wouldn’t want to let it go.”

“Greed makes people do weird things. Along with drugs,” Eveline murmured, her eyes clouding a little.

Had she just reminded the brunette of her past experience with her former boss?

Eveline had told Teresa how he’d been obsessed with her. Even had the D-Grade movies Eveline had been a part of. Not to mention he’d kidnapped her and expected her to star in a movie of his own making.

It wasn’t until the guy had killed himself that it’d been discovered that her ex-boss had been a drug addict—something he’d hidden quite well from everyone.

“Shit, Eveline, I’m sorry.” Teresa reached across the table to give her new friend’s hand a squeeze.

She smiled back at her. “It’s all good. I’m okay. I’m going to take what we’ve found to Kyle and check in to see if Cass has found out anything else.” The woman collected up her laptop and headed out of the room, leaving Teresa and Angelo alone.

“God, why did I have to say something to bring up a bad memory?” she murmured.

His arm slid around her shoulders, and she leaned into him. “You didn’t. If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me. I’m the one who brought up the money issue.”

Teresa glanced at her man. Angelo’s eyes were dark with concern. “Do you think she’s really okay?”

Angelo nodded. “Yeah, Eveline’s tough, but if she’s having any thoughts or scared about anything, she’ll talk to Ox, and he’ll help her.”

Would Angelo be there for her if something bad happened to her?

If she was kidnapped like Eveline and Astrid had been? A shiver of fear wracked Teresa’s body, and she tried to get closer to him, but the chairs they sat in made it difficult.

As if he could feel her fear, Angelo pushed his seat back and tugged her from hers so she was on his lap. The second his arms enfolded her in a tight hug, she snuggled down and rested her head on his chest.

“I will do everything I can to make sure that nothing happens to you, Teresa. Now that I’ve found you, I don’t want to let you go.”

“I don’t want you to, either.”

Angelo’s arms tightened around her, but it seemed there was more he wanted to say.

Teresa waited him out.

When he was ready, he’d tell her.

“How do you feel about wearing a tracker?” he asked, finally breaking the silence that had descended around them.

She pulled back. “I’m sorry what?”

Was he serious?

How could he ask that when a day ago he was picking listening devices off a lot of her personal possessions?

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Teresa pressed against his chest, and immediately, Angelo dropped his arms, allowing her to escape his hold. Not that she really wanted to, but she needed to so she could think clearly. “I don’t think you do. Why would you ask that of me?”

He stood, shoving his hands in his pants pockets.

Was he doing that because he wanted to pull her close or because he didn’t want to touch her at all?

No, she dismissed that thought.

He wouldn’t change his mind about her in a blink of an eye. Or because she was questioning him. He wasn’t that insecure.

“Have you noticed the earrings Eveline wears?” he asked.

Where was this coming from? What did it have to do with her wearing a tracker?

“Can’t say that I’ve noticed them.” Which was the truth. Teresa hadn’t paid any attention to any of the jewelry Eveline wore, apart from her engagement ring, which was gorgeous.

“Okay, well, those earrings have a tracker in it. Ox gave it to her when she was trying to get information on her old boss.”

A little bit of her indignation at his request faded with what he said her about Eveline. “Did it help in finding her when she was taken?”

“Unfortunately, no. She wa?—”

“Why would you want me to wear one if it didn’t help? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of wearing a tracker?”

“If you’d let me finish, I’ll explain everything,” Angelo admonished lightly.

“Sorry, go ahead.”

“As I was saying.” He tugged his suit jacket straight, as if he needed to keep his hands busy. “Eveline was wearing a necklace when she was taken. As she was pulled out of the car, the chain broke, and it fell off. After that, Ox decided that a necklace wasn’t safe enough, so he gave her the earrings, less of a chance for them to be ripped off her.”

“And she doesn’t have a problem wearing them? What about Astrid? Does she have tracker earrings as well?”

Angelo nodded. “She does.”

Teresa couldn’t wrap her mind around these two strong women, seemingly happy to have their every move tracked. To be watched over.

“You carry a cellphone, don’t you?” he asked when she hadn’t said anything.

“Yes.”

“You do know that they can be tracked? All you have to do is download an app and link phones up so family members can check on their children or parents anytime they want. Having a tracker is no different.”

Teresa couldn’t deny how much sense Angelo made. She was aware of the functionality of cellphones, and how they could be traced. Phones were often pinged in missing persons cases in an attempt to find their last location so they could start a search grid. Or using the same method to try to find out if the suspect had been in the same vicinity as the victim.

As much as his question had seemed out of the blue, after contemplating, she could see it wasn’t asked in a stalkerish manner at all. “I see what you mean. You caught me off guard with it.”

Angelo smiled, a soft, gentle one that had her heart racing and desire pounding in her veins.

He closed the distance between them and now stood in front of her, the tips of his shoes touching hers. “I’m sorry. I could’ve phrased it better.”

Teresa lifted her hands and grabbed the lapels of his jacket. The material was soft and warm, and she wanted to slide it from his shoulders and wrap it around her, breathe in his scent. “I don’t want to talk anymore.”

His hands landed on her waist, pulling her close. It wasn’t hard to miss his erection. “What do you want to do?” Angelo asked, as if he didn’t know what she wanted.

“You.” Teresa pushed to tiptoes and brushed her lips across his. Once. Twice. She was going for a third swipe when one of his hands cupped the back of her head and he took over the kiss.

God, she loved kissing this man.

She opened her mouth, allowing him to deepen the kiss. She slipped her hands beneath his jacket and roamed over his chest, playing with the buttons of his shirt. Sliding a fingertip through the small hole, then another until she reached his warm skin.

Teresa wanted more. Wanted to feel him deep inside of her. Wanted to lose herself in his touch and kisses.

Only, Angelo was pulling away from her, his hands covering hers where they still rested against his chest. “Tre, as much as I want to bury myself inside you, we can’t. We’re at the office.” He said the words softly.

When they registered, mortification swept over her.

How could she have forgotten where they were?

Anyone could’ve walked in and seen her practically mauling the guy.

“Right. Of course.” Teresa took a step back, but her progress was halted when Angelo wouldn’t let her retreat from him.

“Don’t,” he said.

“Don’t what?”

“Feel ashamed. Embarrassed. I want this as much as you. And trust me, Tre, when we get home, I’m going to show you just how much I want you.” He drew a finger down her cheek, her skin tingling. “You’re mine, Teresa Carter.”

The possessive words should’ve had her running for the hills, but they thrilled her, until her pulse sang in her ears. “If I’m yours, then you’re mine.”

“Definitely. Now, let’s get you some new earrings.”

As much as she wanted to fight him, he was right. It didn’t matter if it was a phone or jewelry containing a tracking device, no one was really untraceable these days. Although no one but Alliez could locate her if she took the earrings Angelo was talking about, and she was okay with that.

“I am.”

“Good.” His smile was huge as he did up the buttons she’d undone and picked his jacket up from the floor—when had she taken it off him?

Had she been so lost in her passion for the man standing in front of her that she’d forgotten she’d taken off his jacket?

Evidently, Teresa had, and she didn’t care that she couldn’t remember what she’d done. She wanted him, and he wanted her.

That was the only thing that mattered.